ANDREA'S OVERLORD

by Michelle Marquis

  “May we enjoy her?” the scarred vampire asked.

  Charlotte smiled exposing her long sharp teeth. She stroked the man’s face. “Of course you can, Alfonso. I bought her as a party favor for as many men as would like to sample her.”

  Andrea backed away from the growing crowd but didn’t get far. She was grabbed by one of the males and dragged off into a side room. There she was manhandled over to a white bloodstained couch and forced to sit down. Four men came into the room and closed the door behind them. The one with the scar removed his tie and unbuttoned the white shirt beneath. The others moved in behind him.

  “What a wonderful night we are going to have, my beauty. What a very wonderful night.”

  Andrea dug her nails into the fabric of the couch and screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

  * * * *

  The night’s Darkness was Mikel’s mother, lover, and whore. She seduced him with her carnal promises of pleasure, fulfillment and death. He loved Darkness because in essence she was his creator and destroyer all in one breath. She had taken his human life hundreds of years ago and given him a new one. He barely remembered the time before he was a vampire. It seemed like a dream recalled by someone else.

  Sometimes he secretly mourned his passing.

  He walked along the bustling streets hoping the flash of neon lights would force the memories of her from his thoughts. But not long after he began to wander he realized that the streets bustling with strangers only made him think of her more. What had happened last night to make such a fool of him? Had Andrea somehow bewitched him? Or perhaps her eagerness for his touch enchanted him into believing that she might really have feelings for him which went beyond his power to entrance. Why was he so ashamed of wanting to keep her?

  A sorrowful longing tugged at his soul. He wanted to see her again, he needed to. The problem was if he forced the issue, he might actually make her new mistress take her vengeance out on Andrea and he couldn’t stand that. It was best if he just tried harder to forget her. Surely that wasn’t such an impossible thing to do.

  He entered the next club he passed. He jostled through the crowd ignoring nasty looks and settled at the only bar seat still vacant. An attractive woman came over and offered her neck for him to bite. He politely shook his head. She shrugged and wandered off. He wondered if she’d started out innocent like Andrea and grew jaded over time.

  He hated to think of Andrea that way.

  An old friend of his named Clark came over and squeezed his shoulder. “You seem a little tense this evening.”

  “I didn’t feed last night.”

  “That’s easily remedied.” Clark gestured for a busty woman to come over. She did and waited dutifully for Mikel to take blood from her. He pulled her against him and sank his fangs into her throat. She tasted of stale tobacco smoke and cheap red wine. He wished she was Andrea. He finished and dismissed her.

  Clark gave him a searching look. “You’re not yourself tonight. Was your initiate that good?”

  Mikel tried to laugh the question off. “I seem to be temporarily smitten with her.”

  “Then have her again,” Clark said with a shrug. “She’s being offered as a party favor at her new mistress’ party. I’m sure a high-ranking overlord like you can get in with no questions asked.”

  Oh by the gods, no! Mikel didn’t even thank his friend for the party tip as he rushed out of the bar.

  Chapter 8

  Mikel knew Charlotte’s house well. After all, he’d been there many times. The house was often the epicenter of many parties, several of which lasted for days on end. As he expected, the front door was open. He stalked in and bypassed the usual human servants offering themselves for anything he might want. On any other night he would have started with them and finished days later with an epic orgy. Not tonight.

  To the rear of the house was the head butler overseeing a maid scrubbing out a bloodstain on the carpet.

  Mikel touched the butler’s arm and guided him to a private corner. The butler bowed his head in obedience and followed keeping his gaze on the ground. “Has something displeased you, sir?” the butler asked.

  “No, it’s nothing like that. I understand Charlotte has purchased a new initiate. Where is she?”

  “I understand your eagerness to sample her flesh, sir, but I’m afraid she’s already with four men of Miss Charlotte’s choosing. Perhaps you could—”

  Mikel held up a hand. “Shut up. I want to be taken to that room immediately.”

  The butler gave him a tense, puzzled look. “I will, sir, but please be advised that Miss Charlotte gave strict instructions that the gentlemen were not to be disturbed.”

  “I don’t care. Don’t concern yourself with Miss Charlotte. I’ll deal with her.”

  “All right, sir, if you insist.”

  The butler scurried to the stairs and led Mikel to the room at the end of the hall. He knocked but Mikel pulled him out of the way and just opened the door.

  Andrea’s thin dress was torn and lightly smeared with blood. Her beautiful pale face was etched with agony and sorrow. She lay on the bed surrounded by the four vampire males but it didn’t look as though she’d been violated yet.

  Mikel’s stomach dropped. Sickness and shame overtook him. I knew this might happen. I should have laid claim to her when I had the chance.

  The vampire males must have just begun because if they had been here a while they would have done a lot more damage. An unrestrained fury fired his system and Mikel had to clench his teeth to keep himself in check. He needed to get her out of here unharmed and losing his temper wouldn’t accomplish that goal.

  One of the males eased off the bed and approached him. “What the hell is this?”

  “I’ve come to claim this woman,” Mikel said. He let his gaze carry a veiled threat as it wandered over each man. “Get off her now.”

  The other two seemed unsure but they got off the bed. “Charlotte gave her to us for our pleasure.”

  “Well I’m taking her for mine.”

  The door slammed behind him and Mikel turned around. Charlotte stood before him with a blazing rage in her eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Mikel prowled up and fixed her with his darkest glare. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m taking what pleases me.”

  “This woman is mine! I bought her for a fair price and she’s mine to do with as I please. Now I don’t know what you’re playing at, Mikel, but you can’t just come in here and repossess her. Your time with her is done.”

  Mikel let an icy moment of silence change the tone of the room. He could smell their fear building. “I’ll pay you for your trouble.”

  Charlotte gave him an impish grin. Apparently she liked being bullied. “You can’t. Nothing can repay me for dealing with your arrogance.”

  Mikel placed one hand on Charlotte’s throat and pulled her close to him. He peeled his lips back and bared his long, white teeth. Like most older males they were thicker than most and cruel. It didn’t take much imagination to know how much damage they could do tearing into flesh, living or dead.

  “Give her to me,” he whispered, letting his lips caress her skin as he spoke.

  “What do I get in return?”

  “I’ll purchase you a young, human male full of blood and eager to please you.”

  She smiled and slowly eased out of his grip. “You do strike a hard bargain. But I have to ask, why do you want her back? You’ve had your pleasure with her, what could she possibly offer you now?”

  Mikel knew better than to give Charlotte anything she might use against him. “She gave me pleasure. I want to play with her until she’s ruined. There is nothing more to it than that.”

  “I won’t stand to be cheated. When will you send this young man for my pleasure?”

  “When would you like him?”

  She grinned and glanced back at Andrea. For a second, Mikel was afraid Charlotte was going to want to hold onto Andrea as collateral. “I would like him by tomorrow
night.”

  Mikel nodded. Now he had to take a risk he was loath to take. He had to try and leave without Andrea so Charlotte would give her up easily. If it seemed like he was too attached to the woman, they would surely use her against him. He started for the door.

  Charlotte frowned. “Wait.”

  “What is it?”

  “Aren’t you forgetting someone?”

  Mikel glanced at Andrea. She looked so frail and miserable his heart broke. “I thought you wanted to hang onto her until I get you your replacement.”

  Charlotte raised a thin eyebrow. “What good is she to me? I can’t play with her. I can’t use her to entertain my guests. She’s useless. Take her on good faith.”

  Mikel smiled and gave Charlotte a gentle kiss on the cheek. “You’re truly a lady, sweet Charlotte.”

  She giggled and pushed him away. “What a manipulator you are, Mikel. I swear you could talk anyone into giving you their souls. Take her if she pleases you. Enjoy her.”

  Mikel approached the bed. Andrea turned her face away from him and a dagger in his chest couldn’t have hurt more. He helped her up and she stood before him trembling. He knew from her scent the blood on her dress was from superficial wounds. “Are you able to walk?” he asked.

  His tone was so mean and harsh it made her flinch.

  “Yes I can walk,” she said. Her voice was barely a whisper. Then, as an afterthought she added, “Master.”

  “Good. Then follow me.”

  Chapter 9

  “I don’t understand why you did that,” Andrea said once they’d returned to his apartment.

  Mikel prowled across the living room and settled on the couch. He stretched his arms out across the seat back and watched her with quiet amusement.

  Andrea appeared really confused. He wished she’d sit down but instead she remained standing and folded her arms.

  “What does this mean?”

  “Did any of those men hurt you?” he asked. He frowned suddenly realizing that might be what was bothering her. He wanted her to feel relaxed and comfortable here.

  “No. They just scared the hell out of me.”

  He patted the seat next to him. “Then why don’t you sit down?”

  “Why am I here, Mikel?”

  There was a blade to her tone that excited and surprised him. This woman would not be tolerated long in the vampire world. She would mouth off to the wrong person and end up being killed. The thought that this beautiful, spirited creature might be destroyed made him profoundly sad. No, he would have to do everything in his power to protect her. “I would have thought you’d know. I enjoyed what we had last night. You’re here to serve my pleasure.”

  Her perfectly sculptured eyebrows lowered slightly. “Isn’t it unheard of for an initiate to stay with her teacher?”

  “I’m an older male and an assassin for the High Council. I can get away with things others can’t.”

  She unfastened the lace ties on her dress and let it drop to the floor. Naked she was even more beautiful than in the sheer dress. Emotions warred within him. He wanted to punish her and drink from her but he also wanted to give her pleasure. Taking a bite would only terrorize her more and he really didn’t want that. He wanted her to care for him more than anything else. “Haven’t you had enough vampire exploitation for one day?”

  “What difference does it make? The second you become bored with me, which will probably be right after your next orgasm, you’ll take me back there.”

  “And what if I plan to keep you for myself?”

  “That wouldn’t work out very well,” she said.

  He detected a tremor in her body. Was it the air conditioning from the apartment, fear, or anticipation of making love to him again?

  “And why not?”

  “I’ll tell you why. In spite of what you did for me tonight, I’m sorry to say I hate you.”

  Mikel had dealt with all kinds of human servants but none had ever dared to speak to him like that. Did this woman have a death wish? If he was in his right mind, he would murder her for those words. “That’s a pretty strong statement for someone who barely knows me.”

  “Oh, I know all about you and your kind. I’ve seen how your kind uses and discards the humans they interact with. You came to get me to exercise your power, nothing more.”

  “You seem very sure of my motives.”

  “What else motivates you other than sex and bloodlust?”

  He let her question sit in the air for a moment. “Perhaps I’m motivated by love.”

  A bitter laugh escaped her. “You expect me to believe that? You don’t know the first thing about love. You know how to use, that’s about it.”

  Now Mikel was angry. He got up and closed the distance between them. She flinched as if expecting a blow but didn’t back away. He was very impressed by her reckless bravery. “I’ve been alive hundreds of years. I’ve loved and lost more than you can imagine. So don’t try to tell me what kinds of emotions I’m capable of.”

  “So you’ve lived a long time. So what? That’s all the more reason why you should see that what vampires are doing to humans is wrong.We are not animals or chattel. We have a right to live our lives in freedom.”

  He grabbed her jaw to make her be quiet. “What you’re saying is treason. We could both be killed if anyone heard you uttering such things so shut up. These walls aren’t as thick as you think they are.”

  Andrea twisted her face away from his grasp. “Then let’s not talk. Just do what you brought me here to do.” She grabbed his hand and placed it over her right breast.

  Mikel was overcome by her rage. It excited and infuriated him in ways he’d never experienced before. He wanted to kill her. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted to destroy her and make her love him for it. Unable to contain his raging desire, he cupped and kneaded her breast. His lips covered hers in a desperate, heated kiss which she responded to with even more aggression.

  Andrea thrust her tongue in his mouth coming dangerously close to cutting it on his teeth. He knew she was doing it on purpose to anger him further. She seemed to want to drive him to the point of draining her to death. He broke the kiss and pushed her back.

  “I don’t want you to do that,” he said.

  Andrea’s eyes swirled with impotent fury. “What? This?” She pulled out a jagged paperclip and dragged the end across her throat. It didn’t do a lot of damage but the small cut bled a surprising amount.

  Mikel snatched the paperclip from her and threw it across the room. But it was too late. The sight of even a small portion of her blood forced his mind to flirt with a feeding frenzy. The scent mixture of salt and iron filled his senses making him swoon.

  He dragged Andrea to the floor, his hands and mouth taking on a life of their own. His tongue lapped greedily at the scrape on her neck while his fingers found the moist, hot center of her pussy.

  There was no foreplay. Her actions ensured there couldn’t be. She gave herself to him without reservation and he lost what little control he had.

  His cock and fangs ached in unison, both longing to be buried in Andrea’s flesh. His swollen cock penetrated her with long, angry strokes, pushing as deep into her as he could go. She whimpered and ran her hands up his back.

  “Bite me, Mikel. Kill me. End my life of misery. It will bring you so much more pleasure. Go ahead. I want you to,” she whispered in his ear.

  His canines throbbed like they’d been pulled out by the roots. He wanted her with a hunger that bordered on madness. But he knew if he gave in to her wish he would be too far gone to stop. He’d be unable to disengage in enough time to save her life. So as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bite her while they were coupling.

  To punish her for trying to force his hand, he pumped his stiff cock harder and faster. With every thrust her flesh grew softer and wetter driving him even more insane. She opened her legs wider with a gentle sigh and he sensed her close to climax. That surprised him. She seemed so filled with cold anger before an
d now her passion rivaled his. Andrea cried out in rebellion and her legs wrapped around his hips. He wanted to climax but held back. It was too soon, much too soon.

  “I don’t want you dead,” he growled into her neck. His labor was bearing fruit as her legs shook with pleasure.

  She panted gripping him tight. For a long time he was sure she wouldn’t respond.

  Then she said, “We can’t both have what we want. I don’t want to live as your slave.”

  Tender agony blossomed from his cock and rode up through his hips and back. “There can be compromise in this. We can find another way.”

  She cried out then, screaming and bucking out her orgasm like she was fighting the pleasure it gave her. He came too and withdrew after the last of his seed was spent. They lay on the floor next to each other trying to catch their breath. He’d never known anything like that. What was happening to him with this woman?

  “You won’t be able to hold out forever,” she said as she licked her lips. “Sooner or later, you’ll bite and kill me.”

  “We can find a way to be happy, Andrea,” he repeated.

  “The only way for me to be happy is through death.” She got up from the tile floor and padded to the bathroom. Mikel couldn’t get the memory of her beautiful, sad face out of his mind.

  Chapter 10

  The camps.

  Andrea had been dreaming about them for most of her life. The vampire overlords tried to make them pleasant enough with comfortable beds and busy jobs but none of the humans housed there were fooled. It was a breeding facility and a prison so vampires would have enough victims to consume.

  Men and women were allowed to mingle but only on the weekends. When these so-called ‘social parties’ took place there was plenty of food and alcohol. The vampires knew there’d be hookups and indeed there were. With no access to birth control of course pregnancies occurred quite often and that’s just what the vampires were counting on.

  When a pregnant woman was discovered in the human colony, she was removed to be with other pregnant women. They gave birth in seclusion and their children were taken from them early and raised by vampire matrons. These matrons taught the children from a young age that their only purpose in life was to provide pleasure to their vampire overlords.